Cave Exploration

The supply of classical type pot-holes in Britain has quite run out, but the number of caverns has vastly increased, and the amount of clearing, digging, and using explosives is extraordinary and sometimes remarkably successful.

I New Discoveries

Clare, Fisherstreet, Doolin Cave. (Starts from Fisherstreet Pot next to the road) Robertson, Ballister, Watkins, Toms, Bristol University, 1953-55.  A great discovery of easy access.  220 yards down to sea level, upstream long passages, 2,700 yards, 500 yards, 700 yards.  Plan in Bristol University Spel. Proc. VII 3.  The pot is where a dead cow defeated Gowing and Roberts in 1936.

Clare, Lisdoonvama, Pollcollaun System. (Four miles north of Lisdoonvarna, south end of Pollacapple Hill).  Articles and map by Acke & Jenkins, Bristol University Spel. Proc. VII 1, 2, 3.  Four roughly parallel passages along the master joints, 1960 two of great length, ij miles, say, with six entrances. Danger of flooding.

Clare, Coolagh River Cave (Polldonough). 1952 Bendall, Pitts and others Bristol University S.S.  Two miles surveyed.  Evidently they passed Bartlett and Balcombe’s point.  Bristol University Spel. Proc. VI 3 with plan.

Clare, Grogan West Cave. (East of Pollacapple Ridge, four miles from Lisdoonvarna). 1955 Preston and others Bristol University S.S. Passage of 1,500 yards.  Close under surface.  Two entrances, 15 foot pitch.  Few drops.  Follows master joints. 196°.

Ballygonaun Cave.  (By the road three miles East of Lis­doonvarna).  Active swallet, 160 yards passage to muddy chamber 60 feet high and deep canal.  Three quarters of a mile East is Pollballyshanny.  Twenty-seven foot pot and short passages.

Leitrim, Manor Hamilton, Teampol. — Holgate, C.P.C. and others have found a 200 yard crawl at the foot of the main pitch.

Fermanagh, Killesher, Pollnagollum (of the Boats).  East 1954 — Holgate C.P.C found a small passage of 30 yards (not a crawl) past the big rock fall in the 1939 end chamber, and entered the main stream again for 70 yards as far as a deep pool with low roof.  There was foam six feet up the walls, so the 80 yards crawl climbed to in 1949 is well above but now covered.

Killesher, Cat’s Hole.  A pound of fluorescein was put into the beck above and the Marble Arch Great Gallery was distinctly green 24 hours later.  The rising below Hanging Rock is likely to be from Legalough.

Killesher, Polla Crindle is 140 yards from Polldownlog bearing 205 °.

Nidderdale, Lofthouse, New Goyden Passage. — 1956.  Excavated by Craven Pot Hole Men in the Nidd valley between Thorpe House and High Thorpe.  Small hole in the bed leads into the main passages below Goyden Pot, half mile estimated, 40 foot ladder required.  Also discretion with gamekeeper and tenants.

Wharfedale, Kettlewell, Douk Cave and Providence Pot. — 1953-55.  September, 1953.  Fluorescein in a Dowker Gill swallet came out in Douk Cave.  Traced to obscure point 350 yards in, and followed 155 yards to a siphon.  Craven Pot Hole men worked forward during the winter in a very difficult passage half mile dead straight towards Dowker Gill.  May, 1954, N. and D. Brindle and R. Powell dived through, changed, and in 16 hours carried a survey beyond Bridge Cavern.  Entry was forced after much digging in Dowker Gill into a system named Providence Pot.  May, 1955, the Brindles, the Powells, Clarkson and Hardy C.P.C. blew open a tight crawl from the Terminal Chamber and com­pleted 450 yards, total join with the Bridge Chamber.

This huge master joint cave of a mile or so is a geological event.  Brodrick’s 50 year old idea that a line of weakness along a master joint may run for miles continually is justified.  Tunnel Cave, South Wales supports it.

Dowker Gill Passage.  A scaling pole has been used inside and in the Providence area and short chambers with fine formations found.

Wharfedale, Grassington Moor, Lunar Pot.  (Black Edge, altitude 1,450 feet.) 80 feet.

Somerset, Priddy, Swildons Hole III. — 1954.  F.G. Balcombe and R.E. Davies, Cave Diving Group, with Four supporters went through the sump into Swildon’s 11, and leaving them for hours dived through Sump 11 into the once visited Little Bell and Great Bell.  Entering a new Bell, St. John’s, they finished Swildon’s III, 15 feet under water down a 30° slope in complete darkness jammed between mud and roof, 35 yards direct from Sump 11.

Breconshire, Glyn Tawe, Ogof Ffynnon Ddu.  More passages in this great network have been found and another exit in flood time made possible.

Breconshire, Glyn Tawe, Tunnel Cave (near Dan-yr-Ogof, water supply to the farm).  27th December, 1953.  Boulder choke at 50 yards beyond the dam in a small chamber forced.  Huge passage 30 feet by 30 feet ran 150 yards North, then 100 yards North West.  Said to go a mile and rise 380 feet.

Glyn Tawe, Pant Mawr Pot. Extensions to 1,000 yards and to a total depth of 200 feet have been found at the bottom.

Derbyshire, Castleton, Giants Hole.  The North Midland Group B.S.A. have done an enormous amount of work with promising results.

II Other Expeditions

Kirby Lonsdale, Lancaster Pot.  July, 1954.  Many members visited the labyrinth and a party of five made the journey through to Easegill County Pot climbing two pitches.

ClareLisdoonvarna.  Several clubs have visited the region and many trips have been made into Faunarooksa, Coolagh River, Polldubh.

E.E.R.

III Correspondence

G.B. Cave, Charterhouse. Shortly after the publication of Journal No. 27 the following letter was received from the Secretary of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society.

” Dear Sir,

The attention of the Committee has been drawn to an article which appeared in Volume VIII, Number 27 (1954) of your “Journal” in which a number of statements were made relating to G.B. Cave, Charterhouse, which the committee feel are inaccurate and misleading.  I have been asked to point out the following facts —

I.   The Society was well aware of the increased danger to cave formations which was inherent in the post-war wave of popularity of caving.  Every effort was made to preserve the cave from vandals, but the locks over the entrance were con­tinually broken, often with explosive, until the owners of the cave made the present regulations, and erected the concrete pill-box which at present guards the entrance, to preserve the formations.

II.   The conditions of entry which are at present in force have been laid down by the owners, the Axbridge Rural District Council, as the only alternative they were prepared to offer to sealing the cave altogether so that no further damage could occur.  This Society has co-operated with the owners in accepting these conditions, as we felt that it was better that the cave should be open to a limited number of cavers rather than closed completely.

III.   The list of clubs which are allowed limited access to the cave by the owners includes the C.R.G., to which most caving societies are affiliated.

I trust that this letter will help reduce the confusion that apparently exists about the whole question of access to G.B.

Yours faithfully,

D. A. S. Robertson,
              (Hon. Sec.) “